A Busy Library

SHOWING a marked increase in circulation, development of educational aids through exhibitions and talks, and a record number of gifts for the year 1952-53, the annual Baker Library report submitted by Richard W. Morin '24, librarian, is significant of the ever-expanding use of Baker's facilities by students, faculty and visiting scholars.

With the gift by Albert Bradley '15 of the Stefansson Collection, conservatively estimated at 20,000 volumes, and acquisition of an additional 14,149 volumes, 90 per cent of which went to the central library, a total of 34,149 books set a record for the number of accessions for one year. Among other acquisitions were 6,000 maps, bringing the total to 46,000 and making Dartmouth's one of the finest map collections among colleges. This department also acquired more than 400 reference works and 600 atlases. Some 1,883 periodicals were subscribed to by the Periodical Department; and the Medical Library, consisting of 30,000 volumes, received more than 300 periodicals during the year.

An interesting feature of the year's report was the observation that acquisitions by gifts accounted for a larger proportion of the total than has previously been the case. In 1947-48 they accounted for 23 per cent; in 1952-53 they represented 35 per cent, exclusive of the Stefansson Collection. The Dartmouth College Library continues to rank first in terms of book stock among those educational institutions placing primary emphasis upon undergraduate work.

The Stefansson Collection, now open to the public, is a research instrument for Northern areas without rival in this country, and lends invaluable support to the Northern Studies Program at Dartmouth.

In several fields Baker enlarged its activities to attract student interest. There were thirteen Tower Room talks during the year, including four musical programs. A record player with both loudspeaker and earphone attachments was installed in the Poetry Room, substantially increasing undergraduate use of the room. Microfilm holdings in the Reference Department were increased from 500 to 800 reels, these being The New York Times from 1896 to 1912 a and The London Times from 1851 to 1859. In general it was observed that students prefer to use the film rather than bound volumes of newspapers. However, it was through the use of exhibitions, effectively planned and arranged by various departments of the library, that outstanding student interest was aroused. A partial list of these exhibits follows:

"Samplings from Dartmouth's Special Collections," "100th Anniversary of the Death of Daniel Webster," "Rupert Brooke," "Famous American Presses," "The Riddle of Indo-China," "Hands to Work and Hearts to God" (Shaker books and songs), "The Bible Through the Ages," and "American Book Design Since the War."

During the year students in the College and associated schools borrowed a grand total of 104,860 books from Baker's main desk and the separate collections of art, medicine, business, English and literature. At the main circulation desk, there was an increase of 3.5 per cent over withdrawals of the preceding year. Some 135,000 withdrawals were recorded in connection with the 5,000 books held on reserve at the Reserve Desk, upon the request of teachers of 229 courses of instruction. In the Medical School library the circulation was double that of 1951-52.

One of Baker's most pressing needs at present is additional room for the storing and servicing of the rare books, College archives and other special collections. One solution under study is the building of an addition at the northeast corner of Baker, which would receive the Medical Library and provide overflow space for the Reference and Periodical departments. General stack space was doubled by construction in 1942-43, and although this is gradually being absorbed, it will probably not be exhausted for another ten years.